you have to get every dollar for debt ceiling increases. they say the debt ceiling, they know it doesn't give them real leverage but gives them an opportunity to give real messaging. they wouldn't provide a show-down where they say not raising it. they come to terms with having lost the election. charles krauthammer wrote today, the general rule is from the single house of congress, you can't impose, aren't you failing the country? the country chose obama, if you want to save the republic, save the next election. if your conservative philosophy is indeed right, winning will come. joining me now, robert costa, and dave weigel, both of them doing great reporting, i appreciate you being here. robert, i want to start with you, tell me the thinking behind the three-month extension, why three months? >> a lot of it has to do public relations, i think what i heard from the retreat, and members in the room, they want to start to win the pr battle again, to do it they have to take the debt limit off the table, and fight with spending in regard to th